Simply Fishing

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Winter Panfish

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Having some computer issues. Still catching panfish, but the water is cold and the fish are deep. You might want to slow down your presentation, and it wouldn't hurt to "cheat" a little by tipping your flies or jigs with a waxworm.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Surf Perch are still biting in Oceano!

FYI: Today's high tide is 6:53, sunset is 7:41. Couldn't be more perfect for surf perch!

Friday, August 12, 2011

Surf Perch

The Surf Perch are biting in Oceano! Belinda, Jeramie, and I caught fish non-stop from about 6pm until dark on Tuesday. Today, I caught about 30 fish at that same time. This time, I went with 3/4 oz. sinker, 6 lb. test, #8 Gamakatsu baitholder hook, and a 1 and 1/2" Kalin's motoroil grub with red flake.

Monday, July 18, 2011

My apologies

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I haven't felt much like fishing. I know, crazy, huh?! Just going through a tough time right now. I'll be back!

Michael

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Roboworms!

Belinda and I caught bass yesterday Texas rigging Roboworms in shallow water. Hers was bigger. We also caught a stringer full of redear, bluegill, and a couple of crappie on nymphs and waxworms.

Gracie

Gracie was studying in the car, but took a short break to catch some redear. (dropshotting nymphs)

Monday, June 6, 2011

Jazlyn

Jazlyn caught her first fish ever on Monday. By Wednesday, she had caught 15!

AJ

AJ caught his first fish ever today on the F dock, and it brought a friend along.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Redear Bite

Belinda and I caught lots of redear, a few crappie, and a couple of bass on the F dock- just after sunset. The people who were leaving when I got there had been camping since last Thursday and hadn't caught a single fish. If they had only waited a little longer!

Friday, June 3, 2011

Update

Still haven't gone out in a while, work's been a little crazy. Should be time for Surf Perch, Poppers in the evening at Margarita and Lopez, Mackerel at the pier, and as the water temperature in the bay gets closer to 59 degrees, the halibut should come in to shallow water to spawn!

Monday, May 9, 2011

In case you were wondering...

I've been working 14 to 18 hour days and haven't had a chance to do any fishing for a few days. Hopefully, soon. I will keep you informed.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Lopez

Shad are cruising the shoreline. Big balls of fry in the shallows. Tons of redear being caught in 5 - 25 feet of water. Bass in 3 - 10 feet of water. Lots of Chironomids hatching. Must be Spring!

Thursday, April 28, 2011

_Campobello

Lots of bass at campobello today, and lots of redear at the F dock. Still waiting on the crappie. 4/28/11

FYI!

Rockfish season opens in our area May 1st!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

F-Dock Update

The bite is real late these days. Today I caught several crappie, largemouth, 1 smallie, and lots of redear in the shallows.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Cain(?)

Even though the water was still pretty muddy, and it rained a little, Cain(not sure of the spelling) caught 3 fish including this redear sunfish. I think there's going to be a lot of years of fishing in this boy's future. 4/20/11

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

F Dock Update

Caught redear, crappie, and bass yesterday dropshotting nymphs on 1/2 lb. test, 20" ice fishing pole, occasionally cheating with wax worms, (crappie seemed to like the nymph only). The lake is at 89% after last weekend's storm. And, while I was on the dock, a ranger posted a sign closing the trail to the F Dock. 3/29/11

Saturday, March 19, 2011

What's Inside?

The crappie that I caught today at Lopez were full of nymphs and leeches. (Just in case you were wondering)

Time For Beds!

The crappie at Santa Margarita are already on their spawning beds! 3/16/11 (from Jeramie)

Lighten Up!

This crappie ate a Wedgie on a #14 fly hook, 8 oz. test fluorocarbon, 1/64 oz. dropshot sinker, 12 inch ice fishing rod. 3/18/11

Dropshotting Nymphs: A technique for all seasons.

The "Dropshotting Nymphs" technique is effective on most freshwater species, doesn't require expensive gear, and even if you've never fished before in your life, you will catch fish using this method.

Firstly, you will need light fishing line. I use 2-4 lb. test Fluorocarbon or Monofilament line. If the water isn't too clear, I like to use a high visability line so that you can detect even the lightest of bites.

Next, you will need some nymphs, (artificial flies made to look like the larval stage of aquatic insects). There are nymphs of some sort swimming around in every lake, pond, river, and stream in America. You've probably seen them hatch on the water's surface and fly away. If you want to get an idea of the kind of nymphs that are in your favorite fishing hole, just go to the shoreline and flip over some stones that are in shallow water. Or, grab a handful of moss or weeds from the water and toss them on the bank. I'm sure you'll find something wriggling around in the muck.

Finally, you will need a dropshot sinker, (preferrably skinny and tungsten), from 1/16 to 1/4 oz. Tie the flies at least 10 inches apart, (up to 2'), using a surgeon's loop knot. There are stronger loop knots, but the surgeon's loop is simple and fast. Your dropshot sinker will be at the bottom. (See photo). In California, you can't have more than three flies on a line in freshwater.

Now, all you have to do is cast out, let your rig sink to the bottom, and retrieve slowly--VERY slowly. The bite can be as light as a "tick" in your line, or just a slight bend in your rod tip. Most people don't even recognize these as bites. In either case, if you just crank a little faster, the hook will set itself. Giving a light shake to your rod tip as you reel in, will impart some action to your nymphs.

From a dock or boat you can fish vertically. Just drop your rig to the bottom, and reel straight up SLOWLY. Or, just lift your rod tip slowly and drop back down. If the fish are suspended, use your lightest sinker, cast out, let your rig sink to where the fish are, then retrieve just fast enough to keep your nymphs at the desired depth.

This technique works all year round. You just need to find what depth fish are.

Texas Rigging Nightcrawlers

This is another technique that works well all year round, but is especially effective during the pre-spawn bite when the bass are in shallower water staging around points and ledges near the shallows where they will eventually spawn.

You will need at least 6lb. test, (hi-viz line if water clarity allows). Keeping in mind that with much heavier line, you won't be able to cast a live worm very far. You will need a 1/16 to 3/16 worm sinker, preferrably tungsten, but not necessarily. I like to use a #8 Gamakatsu baitholder hook. And, lastly, you will need a LARGE nightcrawler.

Thread your line through the worm sinker and tie on your bait hook. I use a uni-knot because it is pretty strong, but more importantly, it's simple and fast. And I am usually very anxious to start fishing. Run the point of the hook through the nose of your worm and back out about 1/4 inch down the worm. Pull the hook out until the eye is buried in the worm, then bury the point of the hook back into the worm (See photo). This will keep your worm relatively weedless. It is VERY important to keep your worm straight.

Now, all you have to do is cast your worm out, let it sink to the bottom, and hop it slowly off the bottom back toward you. Lift your rod tip to hop the worm and when you drop your rod tip back down, make sure there is plenty of slack in the line. You want the worm to freefall straight down, and when a bass sucks it in, you don't want him to feel tension in the line. Work your worm pretty slowly during this time of year as the bass are trying to store up energy for the spawn when they don't eat. So, they won't want to use up more energy chasing a bait then they will get by eating that bait. In other words, big baits--go slow.

When you see your line start to move out, (remember to keep your line slack after each lift), don't set the hook right away. Point your rod forward, and just before the line straightens out completely, set the hook. Be sure to keep your drag set light with this light of line, (you can always palm the spool to pressure the fish), and GOOD LUCK!!!